Irish Workhouse Centre - Portumna

Irish Workhouse Centre - Portumna At the Irish Workhouse Centre we provide tours of the old workhouse building and bring to life the story of the workhouse poor.
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The Poor Law Union of Portumna was formally declared on 22 February 1850. It was part of the second phase of workhouse buildings, bringing the total in the country to 163 by the end of 1852.

22/11/2024

The Irish Workhouse Centre will remain closed on Saturday the 23rd of November 2024 due to Storm Bert. Apologies from any inconvenience caused.

19/11/2024

The Irish Workhouse Centre Portumna will be closed for tours Wednesday 20th November. We apologise for any inconvenience. Tours will continue again as normal from Thursday 21st November until Sunday 8th December. Tour times 10am, 12 noon and 2pm.

We are delighted to host a series of free talks funded by Waterways Ireland on aspects of the Heritage of Mid-Shannon.If...
01/11/2024

We are delighted to host a series of free talks funded by Waterways Ireland on aspects of the Heritage of Mid-Shannon.
If you wish to book a place email us at [email protected].

Portumna, Co. Galway Visit Portumna Visit Lorrha & Dorrha Galway County Heritage Office Discover Lough Derg Athenry Heritage Centre Loughrea Community Radio 102.9fm Galway Bay FM Galway Beo

25/10/2024
18/10/2024

Due to the arrival of Storm Ashley, the Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna will be closed for tours on Sunday 20th October. We apologise for any inconvenience. Business as usual on Monday.

Our last speaker today was David Broderick whose topic was Ireland of a Thousand Goodbyes, which looked at places in the...
12/10/2024

Our last speaker today was David Broderick whose topic was Ireland of a Thousand Goodbyes, which looked at places in the Irish landscape that hold a memory of mass emigration.

More photos of today's conference.Lisa McGeeney speaking on Children and the Poor Laws pre and post 1922.
12/10/2024

More photos of today's conference.
Lisa McGeeney speaking on Children and the Poor Laws pre and post 1922.

More photos from todays conference.Colm Murray speaking on Histories of Grangegorman:Site and Society 1770-2012
12/10/2024

More photos from todays conference.
Colm Murray speaking on Histories of Grangegorman:Site and Society 1770-2012

Photos from todays conference.Gerard Moran speaking on Conditions in the Auxiliary Workhouses during the Great Famine.
12/10/2024

Photos from todays conference.
Gerard Moran speaking on Conditions in the Auxiliary Workhouses during the Great Famine.

Photos from today's conference. Jane Halloran speaking on Edward Baker-Workhouse Master at Tulla Workhouse 1855-1899.
12/10/2024

Photos from today's conference. Jane Halloran speaking on Edward Baker-Workhouse Master at Tulla Workhouse 1855-1899.

Our conference is underway this morning 😊
12/10/2024

Our conference is underway this morning 😊

Please note changes to our business hours & tour times for the coming weekend.* Friday 11th October: No 2pm or 4pm Tours...
06/10/2024

Please note changes to our business hours & tour times for the coming weekend.
* Friday 11th October: No 2pm or 4pm Tours
* Saturday 12th October: Workhouse closed due to Annual Conference.
* Sunday 13th October: Business as usual.

*** IRISH WORKHOUSE CENTRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 ***"Patterns of Confinement: Response to destitution in the Nineteenth...
01/10/2024

*** IRISH WORKHOUSE CENTRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 ***
"Patterns of Confinement: Response to destitution in the Nineteenth Century"

Saturday October 12th (9.30am to 2.35pm)
Lunch and refreshments provided: €25 per person

Speakers include:
Gerard Moran: ‘Might be better designated Slaughterhouses’: Conditions in the Auxiliary Workhouses during the Great Famine.

Lisa McGeeney: ‘Children and the Poor Laws pre and post 1922’

Colm Murray: ‘Histories of Grangegorman: Site and Society, 1770-2012.’

David Broderick: ‘Ireland of a Thousand Goodbyes - Memories of Mass Emigration in the Irish Landscape’

Jane Halloran: ‘Edward Baker – Workhouse Master at Tulla Workhouse 1855-1899’

To book your place contact us at 090 97 59200 or email [email protected]

Use this link to see the full brochure: http://bit.ly/3TU5qP0

Unfortunately, due to the nature of our historic buildings, this first floor venue is not yet wheelchair accessible.

We look forward to seeing you there!

*** IRISH WORKHOUSE CENTRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 ***"Patterns of Confinement: Response to destitution in the Nineteenth...
01/10/2024

*** IRISH WORKHOUSE CENTRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 ***
"Patterns of Confinement: Response to destitution in the Nineteenth Century"

Saturday October 12th (9.30am to 2.35pm)
Lunch and refreshments provided: €25 per person

Speakers include:
Gerard Moran: ‘Might be better designated Slaughterhouses’: Conditions in the Auxiliary Workhouses during the Great Famine.

Lisa McGeeney: ‘Children and the Poor Laws pre and post 1922’

Colm Murray: ‘Histories of Grangegorman: Site and Society, 1770-2012.’

David Broderick: ‘Ireland of a Thousand Goodbyes - Memories of Mass Emigration in the Irish Landscape’

Jane Halloran: ‘Edward Baker – Workhouse Master at Tulla Workhouse 1855-1899’

To book your place contact us at 090 97 59200 or email [email protected]

Click on this link to see the full brochure: http://bit.ly/3TU5qP0

Unfortunately, due to the nature of our historic buildings, this first floor venue is not yet wheelchair accessible.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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The Admission Records for Enniskillen Workhouse have been digitised as part of the Enniskillen Workhouse restoration pro...
30/09/2024

The Admission Records for Enniskillen Workhouse have been digitised as part of the Enniskillen Workhouse restoration project. There are 15 open Indoor Relief registers dating from December 1845 to October 1916 and 1 open Outdoor Relief register, dating from December 1848 to May 1898. This is invaluable work when we consider so few records have survived.

The Searching Room at The Workhouse

The Admission Records for Enniskillen Workhouse have been digitised as part of the Enniskillen Workhouse restoration project. There are 15 open Indoor Relief registers dating from December 1845 to October 1916 and 1 open Outdoor Relief register, dating from December 1848 to May 1898.

Each register consists of approximately 100 double pages with columns of information relating to each individual admitted to The Workhouse. These records are key to understanding the workings of the house and are a rich source of information about those in the workhouse at any given time. These records allow us to ascertain the people who entered this Entrance Block and crossed the threshold into the workhouse.

The Enniskillen Workhouse records from 1916 onwards are held in the Public Record Office in Belfast (PRONI).

Visitors welcome to use the searching room and partake in the self-led heritage trail
Monday – Friday
1pm – 4pm

For more information;
🖥️ www.theworkhouseenniskillen.com
☎️ 028 6634 2226

🌟 Community Connection in Action! 🌟Last weekend, on Saturday, 28th September 2024, the Ballinasloe Twinning Committee h...
30/09/2024

🌟 Community Connection in Action! 🌟
Last weekend, on Saturday, 28th September 2024, the Ballinasloe Twinning Committee hosted a wonderful group from France at the historic Portumna Workhouse using the TFI Local Link Galway Route 547 bus service from Portumna to Ballinasloe to transport guests.

Address

St. Bridget's Road, Co. Galway
Portumna
H53EK74

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Videos

Workhouse Night Tour
Workhouse Night Tour

Atmospheric Night Tour last night! Join us for tonight's tour or next weekend. Details: Night Tours of the Workhouse

Hi all One of our staff is currently undertaking a Masters in Public History. Could you please watch this short film on Fr Donnellan (one of our workhouse personalities) and fill out the attached questionnaire. Your help would be greatly appreciated. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=JLmEALQ6FkGSUZk59pXlTJXkKd0X7zlGto9VjL1j-uhUM01MVERJODZZWFU0VVlIQUdNSkMzMExXSi4u&qrcode=true

Under Lock and Key What can these museum artifacts tell us?

Christy talks Marbles! These are one of the new exhibits at our workhouse museum. #CaptionThisMW

The Irish Workhouse Centre remembers all those who died during Ireland's Great Hunger as part of National Famine Commemoration Day.

We're looking forward to welcoming you all back - you can tell us about your favourite museum artefact!

Our next short film is the very moving story of the Widow McNamara and her son from the Portumna Poor Law Union. Thanks to all who helped with this project especially Seán Hickey who facilitated access to the site.

This Culture Night, Nuala Conroy from the Irish Workhouse Centre beautifully reads 'Johnny Seoighe'. Seoighe (or Joyce in English) was a Relieving Officer in Carna, Co. Galway and had the power and influence to help a family in distress but ignored their plea - such was his power perhaps he could even save the Queen from death. Written during the 1840s, this song tells the story of a man, his wife and children who are refused admittance to the workhouse. The man's wife and children subsequently die on the way back home from hunger and exhaustion. Thanks to Gearoidin Ui Loideain. Music by Sergey Cheremisinov.

Jackie
Jackie

We have saved the best of our Heritage Week Short Films for last. This is the Story of 'Jackie'

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Our Story

The Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna is dedicated to telling the story of the Irish Workhouse. It is located in a real workhouse in Portumna, one of the best preserved workhouses in the country, with all seven buildings intact.